XBattle! The Adventurers Golden War!
by Sonfaro
Summary: *Anniversary Timeline* Ken frowned. "Who are you?" The Digimon brought out his other sword and readied himself. "I am Grademon, armored knight Digimon! And you will soon have no choice, but to yield." Prolouge For the Royal Knights Saga


**The Royal Knight Saga: Prologue**

_**X-Battle! The Adventurers Golden War** _

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By: Sonfaro

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"This is so boring!"

Ken Ichijouji laughed and shook his head. Beside him, bestride a large blue/white dragon, sat his friend Davis Motomiya. The brunette clearly was bored, leaning dangerously off of ExVeemon, his partner, looking for excitement. "You should have brought your homework", he told Davis.

They were over a hundred feet in the air, crossing the dangerous mountain ranges of Server, riding a giant dragon and a huge humanoid Hornet. Digimon, both of them. The dragon was known as ExVeemon, for the huge silver 'X' running down his white stomach. The wasp was called, Stingmon, for the pair of stingers jutting cautiously out of both hands.

Davis groaned and sat up. "I don't see why we have to be patrolling the digital world anyway! Isn't Tai working to get some government installed here? Can't they get someone else to patrol the quiet sectors? I mean, there should be something going down! Riots! A raid! Something!"

"The digital world is at peace now."

"Yeah?" Davis sighed. "Well then what's the point of coming out here?"

"But Davis", started ExVeemon, "don't you like the Digital World?"

"Well, yeah but..." Davis shook his head. "I mean, we've been here like three times today!"

"Four actually." Ken stretched and yawned. "Two more and we'll be done for the day."

Davis groaned and began pulling at his brown hair. "This is so boring!"

"You should have brought your homework."

Stingmon nodded. "Ken brought his along last time. He got some passing marks."

Davis raised his eyebrow. "Who was with you?"

"Kari."

Davis frowned. "Oh."

"Something going on?"

"No, no…" Davis sighed and shook his head. "Nothing new anyway."

"You two still angry at each other?"

Davis shrugged. "I don't know." He sighed. "She says she can't make up her mind about something."

"Anything I can help with?"

"Just drop it for now, all right Ken?"

Ken nodded. "Sure, sure."

"Look out!"

Ken had little warning before Stingmon jerked hard to the right. He managed to spot ExVeemon dive in the opposite direction as a bright gold X-shaped blast came down on top of them. Both Digimon tried to take evasive action, not knowing exactly where the attack was coming from. They dived for the ground, knowing that if they were hit they may survive, but the humans couldn't. Davis and Ken jumped when they could, rolling through the dirt and sitting up as soon as they could, both Digimon taking protecting stances before them.

ExVeemon growled and glared upwards. Ken followed his gaze.

"Pathetic." The attacker was adorned in golden armor from head to toe. A pair of long katana style swords hung from two beautiful hilts at either side of this monster. A long flowing cape blew in the wind, as the strange knight hovered to the level of the champions. It's eyes glinted dangerously. "These are the Digidestined?"

Davis spat. "We've been called that before!"

"Who are you?"

The strange attack unsheathed one sword and pointed it at the two humans. "I bear a message from the Royal Knights. Your promises of peace and democracy have fallen on deaf ears. Digimon will not bow to your rule humans. We will rise above it."

"Royal Knights?"

"Never heard of you."

The strange attacker cocked his head to the side. "Oh you will be hearing more of us soon enough."

Ken frowned. "Who are you?"

The Digimon brought out his other sword and readied himself. "I am Grademon, armored knight Digimon! And you will soon have no choice, but to yield."

"I don't think so." Davis whipped out his Digivice. "We'll stop your plans soon enough!"

"Oh?" The armored knight began to laugh. "And how are two champions going to stop me?"

"Watch and learn pal! Ready Ken?"

Ken nodded and took out his Digivice "Ready!"

"DNA digivolution!"

"ExVeemon…"

"Stingmon…"

"DNA Digivolve to…"

The Dragon and Hornet began to glow blue and green. Ken and Davis held tight as they flew into each other, their data merging to form one being. When the clouds settled, there stood a new, armored Dragon. On each shoulder sat Davis and Ken, digivices glowing with power. They were ready.

"Paildramon!"

Grademon, the armored knight, remained still for a long time. Then, oddly, he began to chuckle. "A DNA digivolution. Interesting." He brought both swords together. "But you must know", he said, "You've already lost."

"What?"

"Shall we begin then?"

Davis growled. "Let's do this then! Paildramon!"

The large dragon swooped forward, at full speed, aimed at the cocky golden knight. Grademon stood still in the air, waiting patiently. At the last possible second Paildramon veered upwards, sending wind up Grademon's face. Still, the knight didn't move. Paildramon hesitated far above him. He called down to the Digidestined.

"What now guys?"

"We have to be cautious."

Davis shook his head. "If we hit him now, we can end it faster! Hit him Paildramon!"

"Davis…"

**_Desperodo Blaster! _**Gripping the two blasters on either side of his waste, Paildramon sent down a hail or energy bullets towards the motionless Grademon. The blasts sent tiny clouds of smoke upon impact, eventually covering the golden knight in a puff of smoke. Paildramon ceased firing and waited. For the longest time nothing happened.

_**Cross Blade!**_

Paildramon barely had time to move when the X-shaped blast headed his way. The knight seemed affected by the blasts, but not by much. He hovered there, his cape somewhat tattered, blades glowing hot from the attack that obviously had just emitted from them. "A very powerful attack," he muttered. "But not enough. You have already lost. For what good is a Digimon if he can not make his own decisions?"

"What…"

_**Cross Blade!**_

Paildrmon prepared to dodge, but strangely, the attack was not directed to him. An instant feeling of unease filled the dragon, and he looked towards what the 'X' was aimed at. "KEN! DAVIS!"

The attack blasted into the rock and earth upon which Davis and Ken stood, causing it to crumble all around them. They fell some twenty-to-thirty feet. Their fall was slowed thanks in part to tree limbs and vines. Davis landed with a thump on his side. He felt something snap on the inside, and he swore. The pain was intense. Davis hated breaking bones. To his left he could see Ken clutching an arm that was bent the wrong way.

"You okay?"

Ken glared at him, more in pain than anything else. "I think my arm is broken!"

Davis gripped his Digivice. "Paildramon, we're alright", he called. "Go get him!" Davis held his side and looked up. Paildramon could barely be seen jutting above the tree tops, his pikes jutting out of his arms, as he closed in on the armored knight.

**Esgrima!**

Grademon's swords and Paildramon's pikes met high in the air, and the two warriors began their battle anew. Blades were blocked and thrust. Grademon would dodge, Paildramon would press the attack. It was a Duel. A duel of near equals, but even from below the trees, Davis knew that this 'Grademon' had the advantage. Paildramon was a fast warrior, but the knight seemed to be toying with him. Davis gripped his Digivice. _There had to be a way…_

"Got ya!"

Paildramon seemed to have it done, Grademon's head locked between two pikes. But the golden knight began to chuckle. "Check again."

"Huh?"

One of Grademon's swords was dangerously close to Paildramon's midsection. The dragon flew away quickly and stared at the strange knight closely. "What the hell are you!"

"I am a royal knight."

Davis swore. He could barely see what was going on, but he knew that at this rate, Paildramon was done for.

"Dang it, they're getting clobbered!"

"Davis' I have an idea!"

Davis turned to see Ken on his feet, walking towards him. Davis had a questioning look on his face. So Ken, still clutching his bad arm, told him the plan. Davis cringed.

"You're nuts!"

"You got a better plan?"

Davis frowned, but shook his head. He turned back to the battle in the sky. "Partition!"

The instant the order was received, Paildramon split again into his basic champion forms. ExVeemon growled and rose higher in the air.

_**X-Vee Lazer!**_

ExVeemon's answer to the golden knights assault. Grademon chuckled and brought both swords to bear, blocking the attack easily. "You think that will do anything? I can avoid you're puny blast from…"

_**Spiking Strike!**_

Grademon caught the full force of Stingmon's weight crashing into his side. Thinking quickly, he rolled sideways mid air, to avoid the two stingers ready to pierce him.

"You think you're powerful enough to stop me?"

"Davis!"

"DNA digivolution!"

"ExVeemon…"

"Stingmon…"

"DNA Digivolve to…"

Grademon felt the thousands of pistol shots before the dragon had even finished combining. He dived to avoid the fire as Paildramon fully formed. He charged his blades again. Cross Blade!

"Partition!"

And the ultimate was again parted in twain. The X harmlessly passed between them. The insect dived for the golden knight, who barely dodged the second Spiking Strike…

_**XV-Lazer!**_

And he fell right into the other Champion's range of fire. The XV-Lazer didn't do much damage, but it rocked the knight hard. He had misjudged these Digimon. He could no longer afford to play with them. He backed away, allowing them to form Paildramon one last time. Before flying towards him. Paildramon shook his head and opened fire. **_Desperado Blaster!_**

Grademon let the beams grace him. He had to get them close enough.

There. The smoke cleared, and the victory was obvious. Both blades surrounded Paildramon's helmet. Grademon growled.

"It's over."

Paildramon cackled. "Check again!"

Grademon cocked his head, and then looked down. Paildramon's pike jutted dangerously close to Grademon's midsection. The dragon had snuck his arm in under the knights assault, and was ready to make a killing blow. Grademon stood still for a long time, then began to chuckle.

"Another time then, Digidestined."

He floated away silently, and then, in the blink of an eye, he vanished, killing the tension and leaving a battered Paildramon floating confused in the air. Davis groaned. "Why do I get the feeling we just lost?"

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"I should have been there."

The hospital room was full of Digidestined. Both old and new. Tai Kamiya sat in a chair opposite ken and Davis' beds, his UN attire in disarray.

"You couldn't have done anything."

Davis shook his head. "Just when we think evil is gone from the Digiworld…"

Matt agreed. "It's like one thing after another."

Tai frowned. "I'm going with you next time."

"Tai, that's a bad idea."

"What?"

Ken sighed. "Whoever that guy was, he was well prepared for us. Who's to say he wouldn't be prepared for you either?" He looked out the window. The rain had already begun to pour. "I have a feeling, this isn't the last we've seen of these 'Royal Knights'."

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In a dark corner of the digital world, a golden knight kneeled.

"Yes sir. Message delivered."

There was a distant rumbling. Grademon looked up.

"Sir, one of them _may_ be _him_."

The Rumbling intensified. Grademon bowed his head.

"Yes sir. I will look into it. They have not seen the last of the Royal knights."

Many things were done that night. All in the name of the digital world…

_**To Be continued in Sonfaro's Digimon: Anniversary.**_

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**_Authors notes: This event happens sometime after year Three of Anniversary. As you can obviously tell, since the defeat of HADD, Davis and co. have been a little bored. How else could you get the digidestind on their feet then have them face the greatest force for good the digitalworld has ever seen? How will Tai, Matt and Omnimon, and Davis and Magnamon play into this series? Find out in the next few series coming out._**


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